Show-case refrigerator.



j. SCHULDE.

SHOW CASE REFRIGERATOR.

APPLCTION FILED AUG2|, 1915. 1922596320 'Patented May 8, 19N.

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JUEN SCHUIJDE, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, .ASSIGNORVBY MESNE ASSGNMENTS, T

HARRY L; HUSSMANN REFRIGERATOR da SUPPLY COMPANY, 0F ST. LOUIS, MIS-SOURI, A CORPORATION OF MISSOUR.

SHOW-CASE REFRIGERATEUR.

i .eeacea Specification of Letters Patent. Patgnted Emmy 8, 1917,

Application led August 21, 1915` Serial No. 46,686.

To all lwhom t may concern.' Y Be it known that JOHN SCHULDE, a citizenof the UnitedStates, and residing -at`St.

Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Show-Case Refrigerators, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to refrigerators, be-l i ing especiallyapplicable to those. of the dislower temperature than could 'be obtainedbythe same amount of `ice alone.

The inventionhas among its objects to remedy objectionable wastage ofthe refrigerant by providing an apparatus whereby the refrigerativemedium is utilized to its fullest extent and a' maximum ofrefrigeration, from a minimum of refrigerant, is obtained.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a comparatively simple,inexpensive refrigerator wherein a more thoroughand effectual chillingof the air,n at the point of greatest refrigeratiom'is secured; a freecirculation of the4 refrigerated air, throughout the entire display vorrefrigerator compartment, is maintained; and a practically conf tinuouscooling or chilling of the air, while being thus circulated, iseffected.

Still further objects are to eifectually con-v trol the circulatorycourse of the air through the refrigerator compartment and to utilizethe otherwise waste refrigerant for chilling the air while being thuscirculated. l

With these and other objects in view, the invention comprises the novelfeatures of construction and combination of parts more fully hereinafterdescribed.'

In the accompanying drawings Figure l is a side-elevation of farefrigerator embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same; Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinalsectlon taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

. Fig. 4 is a detail plan view ofthe drip pan, auxiliary refrigeratingpan, and drain trap, .said parts being removed from the refrigerator; Y

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view'of the. drain trap, the section beingtaken on line 5 5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical transverse section taken on the line 6 6of YF ig. 3; and,

Fig. 'Z is a horizontal section through the refrigerating compartment,taken on the line 7 7of Fig. 6.

In accordance with this invention, a re- .frigerating unit, comprising afreezing mixture container and a drip pan arranged below the "containerand receiving the brine therefrom, is arranged at one end of a show casecompartment. This unit has passages constructed and arranged to permit acirculation of the air therethrough and along the back thereof, and theunit is adapted and positioned to cause a. current of air to kcirculatein a path along `the bottom of the show-case and in a return path alongthe top of the show-case into the top of the unit.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the refrigerator, whichis designed upon the lines of a modern show or display i case, comprisesan oblong box or casing l4 having suitably insulated walls andsubdivided, iguratively., into-a refrigeratingcompartment 2, preferablylocated at onevend of the' casing, and a refrigerator compartment 3coextens'ive with the remainder of the casing, there being set in thetop'wall of the latter a hinged lid or door 4 centered over thecompartment 2, and a' pair of xedv transparent .panels 5 situated overthe com-- partment 4-3, which is adapted to receive the goods to beshown or displayed, while'set in oneside wall of the casing is a pair oftransparent panels similar to the panels 5 and in the other side wall a.pair of hinged transparent doors or panels 6 disposed to afford accesstherethrough to the interior of said compartment 3.

v `Removably'sustained in the refrigerating compartment 2,-to whichready access may be had through door .4, is a container 7 preferablyformed of sheet metal and traversed fore and aft by a plurality oftapered tubular flues 8 constitutin air passages opening at theirlargerends t rough the front wall o for' the compartment 3.

of the container toward the compartment 3, and at their smaller orrestricted ends into Ian airspace or chamber 9, suitably formed at' the.rear end of the Container andinade commonv to all `of the fines orpassage 8.

, Under this construction there is imparted to thel refrigerative body,consisting of the container and vits contained refrigerant, a

maximum surface area for a given cubicspace, and, in consequence, there1s offeredy to the air, which may-circulatefreely overy Y. and throughthis body, by `way 'of passages 8 and chamber 9, a relatively largerefrigerat- I ing surface by which a rapid absorptionof heatvfrom,andrapid'and thorough refrigeration of, the air, iseffected.

1 The bottom of the. container is made in r the form of a grate 10,consisting of a series as heretofore, therev exists grave liability ofAof'slats extending across and 'suitably atsuch perfrations becomingclogged and preventing proper escape of the. water,

formed bythe melting ice. 'This objection is overcome by providing thecontainer with the grated bottom, of this invention, which permits freeescape of the'water.

` Arranged' 'in the compartment 2 beneath the `mtainer 7, to catch thedrippings thereyfrom, lis asheet metal drip pan 12 adapted to overflowat its forward edge ,into the mouth 13 of alhollow overfiow pan or ductand, therefore, an; auxiliary cooling medium 14 likewise made of sheetmetal'and, as will later appear, constituting a heat absorber,

l l The pan l14 is adapted to discharge at its forward end into atr'a15-havin`g a drain 4pipe 1 6, LThe "7 bottoino pan 12 is provided withtransverse corrugations 17, and is pitched atl a- 'general forward, andlupward inclination,

thus adaptingit to accommodate and hold 'a quantity of the water,dripping from the "container,v before finally overflowing into the/vertically disposed; mouth of the overgeneral forward and downwardinclination and -is arranged to extend along the bottom vofthe casing'1longitudinally through the :compartment 3, and has its relatively`spaced 'upper and lower walls provided with coinconnected by, sideplates 18', which rest at 'The upper and lower cident corrugations 18,yallfor a purpose which will more fullyhereinafter appear, orrugatedplates of pan 14 are attached along their edges to, yand their loweredges on the bottom of the cas ing for properly supporting the pantherein.

'Attached at its upper edge to the front wall of thecontainer, and at apoint. below Laassa bestos filling.l This shield, from its point ofattachment, lextends outward and away from the container wall, andI at aslight inclination-downwardly and forwardly to proi vide an interveningair space or passage 20,- while arranged to extend longitudinally of;the compartment'y 3 is ,ahorizontah metal shelf 2 1, which terminates at`its forward end l'short of the adjacentwall of said c om-` partment, toprovide an air pass 22, and at vits rear end joins the lower'edge of theybaflie 19, and, thus, forms in effect, a continuation of the latter.The shelf 21 is disposed above, and in spaced relation to, the p an 14to provide an air passage 23 directly over the latter, and issuitablysustained by side cleats or brackets 24.

Disposed in the' compartment 3 suitably above the shelf 21 is a slattedor grate-like shelf 25, supported by brackets' 26 and adapted to receivethe goods to' be displayed and refrigerated, and to permit free passageof the l cold air therethrough for circulation over and around saidgoods.j

In practice door 4 of' compartment 2 may be opened and the container 7filled with-a .suitable refrigerant, preferably suchas de-' scribed, andthe goods to be preserved and displayed having been introduced intocompartment 3, through the doors, andproperly arrayed on the shelf 25,the' doors are all properly closed and refrigeration begins. The warmerair within the casing naturally rises and travels rearwardly toward therefrigerative body, and as the two uppermost passages 8 open abovethe'baiiie 19,

into the compartment 3, acurrent of air` from the latter will flowthrough said passages and into the chamber 9. At this point it is to benoted that,lbecause of the tapered flues havinor their larger endsdisposed outwardly, a ree'passage of the air into and through thesefiiiesis induced, and further, that A the air entering the ues becomeschilled 'and contracts, for delivery, in such contracted condition,through the smaller or restricted ends ofthe lines into the chamber 9,where it will undergo a. further chilling and consequent contractionQandfinally pass from said chamber into the other'flues Aof the series andoutward therethrough into 'space 20.4 During its outward passage, thechilled or refrigerated air, first enters the flues at their smallerends in a highlycontracted state, and will, therefore, as it flowsthrough the vnow gradually' widening passages, be relieved ofcompression and allowedto suddenly expand with a resultant lowering ofits temperature, and as this air is nowat the point of greatestrefrigeration,

it will be thoroughly and eectually chilled shelf, isprevented.

Laaaeea and rareed. A'Upon escape from the passages 8 into the space 20,the refrigerated air is directed by thebaies 19 and 21 throughy thepassage 23, to the air pass 22, through which 4it passes into therefrigerator compartment 3, beneath the grated shelf 25, Which, owing toits latticed formation, permits free circulation of the'air around thegoods, and final free return of the air tothe upper flues 8.

It is to be noted that the cooling'or refrigerating action is effectedWholly by a current of highly rareied and chilled air traveling alongand f through the refrig 'the' current of cold air in its travel tproughthe passage 23, thus to obtain its ful eHect in refrigerating thecompartment 3.

f v It is apparent that, under this invention,

there is produced an efficient refrigerator, of the show casev type, inWhich provision is lmade for a thorough utilization of the refrigerant,and by which the other stated objects are fully accomplished. Inattaining thesel ends the invention is not necessarily restricted to thedetails herein shown and described, and various minor changes may eratorcompartment,vand that any moisture l is claimed is:

' of condensation which might form in said compartment vvvill be takenup and ,carried olf by this 'air current'andbe deposited in the flues8-and `chambeiduring the periods of sudden chilling of the air Withinthese parts, asbefore explained, and as Will be obvious. Therefrigerator compartment is thus kept dry and the deposit of moisture,bearing the odor or flavor of one food be vmade .in such details Withoutdeparting from the spirit or scope of the invention.

.Having thus described the invention, what 1. A counter refrigeratorcomprising an Sol elongated' show-case having transparent panels, arefrigerating-unitincluding container adapted to receive afreezingmlxture vand mounted at one end of said shd'vcase,

article upon other food articles on the frigerant 11 and the Water thusformed drips freely through the grate 10'into the underlying pan I12. Asthis water is, however, suiiciently cold to materially aid in the'chilling or refrigeration of the air, the pan is constructed, asdescribed, to accumulate and hold a quantity of this Water as anauxiliary refrigerative medium, disposed to act upon a current of airdelivered fromv the lowerend of chamber 9, While the overflow from thepan 12 is received by, and accumulates in, the pan 14, which is thusmaintained at a sufficiently loW temperature to act as a heat absorbentand as a: further refrigerative auxiliary for cooling the air Within thecompartment 3, it being noted that, inas` much as the element 14 isdisposed for direct said container having a vertical passage at the backthereof and having tubes passing therethrough Aand open at their rearends to said vertical passage and at their for-` ward ends to saidshow-case, constructed and arranged to permit a circulation of a1rthrough the unit and along the back thereof, l'

and said unit being adapted and positioned to cause a current of air tocirculate in a path from the bottom of -said unit along the bottom ofsaid show-case and in a return path along the top of the show-case into'the topof said unit.

2. A counter refrigerator comprising an elongated show-case havingtransparent panels, a refrigerating unit including a container adaptedto receive a freezing mixture and mounted at one end of said show-case,and a drip pan arranged below the container and receivingthe brinetherefrom, said container havinga vertical passage at `the back thereofand having tubes passing therethrough and open at their rear ends to'said vertical passage and at their forward ends to said show-case,constructed and arranged to permit a circulation of air contact with theair current iowing through passage 23, it Will act more particularly formaintaining the low/,temperature of-said air current.

As a resultof providing the pans 12 and 14 .with the transversevcorrugations 17 and 18, respectively, these elements are given amaximumsurface area, are adapted to be more readily and eifectuallychilled under the action of the cold water, and the corrugations 18 mayact as baffles for retardmg through said unit and along the backthereof, and said unit being adapted and positioned to cause a currentofair to circulate in a path from the bottom of said unit along thebottom of said show-case and in a return path along the top of theshowcase into the top of said unit.

f3. A counter refrigerator comprisingan elongated show-case providedwith transparent panels, a refrigerating unit adapted to receive afreezingmixtureand mounted at 2one end of lsaid show-case, said unithaving passages constructed and arranged to permit a circulation of airtherethrough and `along the back thereof, and said unit being adaptedand positioned to cause a current of air to circulate in a path from thebottom of said unitalong the bottom of the showcase and in a return pathalong the top of the show-case into the top of said unit, and

a pan extending along the bottom of the' show-case beyond said unit andadapted to, receive the brine from said unit.

4. A counter refrigerator comprising an elongated show-case havingtransparent panels, a refrigerating unit adapted to receive a freezingmixture and mounted atl one end of said show case, said unit having ypassages constructed and arranged to perdirect said current-of air.

y partment adapted to receive a refrigerative body,.said body beingprovided with open ended passages each opening at one end toward saidrefrigerator compartment, the

said passages having their;l other ends terminating and adapted forcon'ii'nunication with one another within said body, whereby the airbeing refrigerated will pass from one to another of said passageswithout f' leaving the said body. i A

6. A refrigerator comprising a casing having a refrigerator compartmentand a compartment adapted to receive a refrigerative body, said bodybeing provided with open ended .tapered passages having their larger qends disposed toward said refrigerator compartment and their smallerends terminating, land'adapted for co munication with one another,within said body, whereby the' air being refrigerated will pass from oneto another of said passages .without leaving the said-body. v

' 7. A refrigerator. comprisinga casing'having a refrigeratorcompartment and a compartment adapted to receive a refrigerativev-bod}`f,-..said body having a chamber inclosed therein and beingprovidedwith a plurality of open ended tapered passages having theirlarger ends disposed toward Said refrigerator compartment and theirlsmaller ends opening into said chamber, whereby the air beingrefrigerated 'will pass within said chamberl from one to another of saidpassages without leaving the said body'.

8. A refrigerator comprising a casing having a refrigerator compartment,a container mounted in said casing and adapted to re-i ceive arefrigerant and constituting a refrigerative body,v said containerhaving a chamber inclosed therein and being provided with aplura'lity ofopen ended tapered passages having their larger ends disposed toment andtheir smaller ends terminating,

and adapted for communication with one another, within said body;wherebyv the air being refrigerated will pass from one to .another ofsaid passages without leaving said body, and a baffle interposed betweenthe forward ends of certain of said passages and the refrigeratorcompartment.

10. A refrigerator comprising a casing having a refrigeratorcompartment7 a re frigerant container disposed in said casing, saidcontainer having a chamber inclosed therein and being provided withtapered open flues having their larger ends disposed toward saidcompartment and their smaller ends., opening -intosaid chamber forlcommunicationv one with another within said container.' v l l1. In arefrigerator, a casing having a refrigerator compartment, a refrigerantcontainer having a chamber inclosed therein and being provided with aplurality of fore and aft open ended flues opening at their outer endstoward said compartment and at their inner ends .into said chamber forcommunication one with another within said container, and an insulatedbaiileinterposed bec tween said compartment and the outer ends ofcertain of said flues. y12. In ay refrigerator a casing having arefrigerator compartment, a refrigerative body having a chamber andprovided with a tapered passage leading from said compartmentthroughSaid body and opening at its smaller end into said chamber, said bodytherethroughand opening at its smaller end intosaid chamber, and abaffle interposed between the larger end of said second passage and saidrefrigerator compartment.

13. In a refrigerator a casing having a having a second tapered passageleading la. A refrigerator comprising an elongated show ease providedWith transparent panels, a refrigerant container inounted at one end ofsaid ease, said container having a chamber inelosed therein and beingprovided With a plurality of open ended tapered ilues having theirlarger ends disposed toward said ease and their smaller ends openinginto said chamber for oomrnunieation one with another Within saidcontainer7 an auxiliary heat absorbent body extending along the bottomof said show ease, said.

body being fed and cooled by Waste from said Container, and a 'baflieinterposed between said show ease and the adjacent ends of certain ofsaid flues, constructed and arranged to Cause a Current of air tocirculate through said show ease in a path along and immediately abovesaid body7 l5. A refrigerator comprising a show ease provided withtransparent panels and having an end compartment adapted to receive arefrigerative body5 said body being provided with upper and lower openended tapered passages having their larger ends disposed toward saidshov7 ease and their smaller ends terminating, and adapted forcommunication with one another, Within said body, whereby air flowinginto the upper passage will, without leaving said body? dow in a returnpath through said lower passage9 and a'baile between the outer ends ofsaid upper and lower passages, constructed and arranged to direct thereturn flow of air from said body in a path along, and aeent the bottoniof, said show case.,

ln testimony whereof ll atlx my signature this Aith day of Augusta l9l5-JHN S Tt

